According to a legend, once the sage Markandeya asked Lord Narayana to show him a specimen of the divine power. Narayana flooded the entire world for a moment, during which only the Akshayavat could be seen above the water level.[1]

Contents

A sacred fig tree located within the Patalpuri Temple at the Allahabad Fort is worshipped as the Akshayavat by Hindus. As of 2011[update], a permission from the Commandant of Allahabad Fort's Ordnance Depot is needed to visit this tree. On one day during the Kumbh Mela, the site is open to all the pilgrims.

In The Encyclopaedia Asiatica (1976), Edward Balfour identifies a banyan tree mentioned in Ramayana with this tree at Prayag, Allahabad.[2]Rama, Lakshmana and Sita are said to have rested beneath this tree.[1]

The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang mentions a tree (a stump with few branches[2]) which was said to be the home of a man-eating demon. As part of a custom, some pilgrims would offer themselves at the nearby temple. Tsang mentions that the tree was surrounded with the human bones. General Cunnigham identifies this tree with the Akshayavat.[1]

"Even today, people are being fooled in the name of allowing worship at the Akshayavat as the original sacred tree is situated in deep, inaccessible corners of the fort. Why should not the structure be replaced with a 'rain basera' (night shelter) for ...

Belatedly, the review of the new British futurezine Arc, thanks to a friend who helped me overcome Technical Difficulties. Also the winter issue of Subterranean Online, which didn't disappoint my expectations of finding some good stories therein. The ...

Limit to books that you can completely read online
Include partial books (book previews)